Perth RedStar extended their lead at the top of the NPLWA – Women’s competition to five points after prevailing 2-1 against Fremantle City in an entertaining top-of-the-table clash at Hilton Park.
The Round 15 encounter was an open affair with chances at both ends but ultimately RedStar emerged victors to extend their unbeaten run to 13 games.
While Freo come away with plenty of credit from Sunday’s performance, the defeat dropped them to third after Perth SC won at Balcatta Etna.
Faye Chambers’ Fremantle side started well with a combination of Shivani Battaglia and the excellent Andreia Teixera clearing Carys Hawkins’ header off the line, before Laura Waltman fired wide.
Tash Rigby’s drive hit the base of the post as Freo kept punching away, but RedStar found their rhythm and Chiori Ikeda curled over following a good team move before Olivia Wood hit the side netting then stabbed just wide of the upright.
The defending champions made the breakthrough on 31 minutes when Fremantle goalkeeper Danelle Cornish waited for a long ball and Renee Leota stole in to walk in her ninth goal of the season.
RedStar nearly had a second before the break when Ikeda looped a header from Reina Kagami’s corner off the post. The winger then followed in to score, but the assistant's flag was raised for offside.
Both teams then hit the frame of the goal on either side of the interval. Leota’s curler cannoned back off the post, while after the restart Waltman’s long-range effort struck the crossbar.
With 10 minutes to play, Carlos Vega Mena’s side doubled their lead. Jay Coleman slipped Wood down the right flank with the forward's cross-shot went over the Cornish and into the net.
The hosts kept going until the end with multiple corners swatted away by the leaders including one cleared off the line by Emily Dunn. One would eventually go in, which was credited as a Kim Carroll own goal after an almighty scramble, but it was too little, too late as RedStar kept rolling forward in 2023.
Fremantle’s loss gave Perth a chance to go second and they took it with both hands after a 4-1 win at Balcatta Etna.
Peter Rakic’s team have won four games in a row to give themselves a fighting chance in the title race, ahead of fixtures in the next fortnight against Freo and RedStar.
For Balcatta, though, it was a missed opportunity to go fourth as Hyundai NTC’s game against Curtin University was postponed with the youngsters away at NTC Challenge.
All the goals in Sunday’s Italian derby were scored in the final 25 minutes of the first half at Grindleford Reserve. The first two goals were bagged by Azzurri defender Poppie Hooks, who headed in corners from Jaime Duncanson and Ella Lincoln to give Perth an early buffer.
Jess Flannery was given time and space to approach the edge of the area and let fly with a low effort, which had Perth well on their way to a seventh game without defeat.
Kim McCartney’s penalty beat Rebecca Bennett as Balcatta pulled a goal back, but Perth completed the scoring before the interval when Gemma Craine pulled across the six-yard box for Duncanson to finish.
Elsewhere, Subiaco picked up their third win of the season in dramatic circumstances as Ingrid Gomez-Basallo’s 96th minute winner gave them a 3-2 win over Murdoch University Melville.
MUM FC were full of confidence coming off Wednesday’s Hyundai Women’s State Cup semi-final win over Fremantle and led on 27 minutes when Clara Hoarau’s crisp strike from distance flew past Annie Leyland in goal.
Subi levelled soon after when Savannah Oolsthorn threaded a pass through for Marianna Tabain to apply a classy curling finish past Stacey Cavill.
Having lost their past two games 7-0, Subiaco completed the turnaround when Oolsthorn’s enterprising run and cross was met by Dakota Van Vugt who planted the ball high into the net.
A first win since Round Eight was on offer for the hosts but they seemingly let it slip when they were unable to clear Charli Wainwright’s free-kick four minutes into stoppage time and Nicola Ierino looped a volley over everyone and in.
But there was still time for Subi to launch a final foray forward and it yielded a winner as Danielle Suckling’s corner was controlled and put in by substitute Gomez-Basallo to decide matters.
Like Balcatta, it was a missed opportunity for Murdoch to leap back into the top four, while Subi sit 10 points off an unlikely post-season place.
Round 15 results
Balcatta Etna 1-4 Perth SC
Fremantle City 1-2 Perth RedStar
Subiaco 3-2 Murdoch University Melville